SCENE. _Same. It is now bright daylight, with sunshine flecking the foreground and bathing the distant valley and mountains._
DISCOVERED. JENNY, _on low stone post, looking left. As the curtain rises, she imitates Trumpet Signal No._ 19 _on her closed fists._
JENNY. What a magnificent line! [_Looking._] Guides-posts! Every man and every horse is eager for the next command. There comes the flag! [_Trumpet Signal without, No._ 30.] To the standard! [_As the signal begins._] The regiment is going to the front. Oh! I do wish I could go with it. I always do, the moment I hear the trumpets. Boots and saddles! [_Imitates No._ 16.] Mount! [_Imitates No._ 37.] I wish I was in command of the regiment. It was born in me. [_Trumpet Signal No._ 48, _without._] Fours right! There they go! Look at those horses' ears! [_Trumpet Signal No._ 39, _without._] Forward. [_Military band heard without--"The Battle Cry of Freedom"_ JENNY _takes attitude of holding bridle and trotting._] Rappity--plap--plap--plap, etc. [_She imitates the motions of a soldier on horseback, stepping down to rock at side of post; thence to ground and about stage, with the various curvettings of a spirited horse. Chorus of soldiers without, with the band. The music becomes more and more distant._ JENNY _gradually stops as the music is dying away, and stands, listening. As it dies entirely away, she suddenly starts to an enthusiastic attitude._] Ah! If I were only a man! The enemy! On Third Battalion, left, front, into line, march! Draw sabres! Charge! [_Imitates Trumpet Signal No._ 44. _As she finishes, she rises to her full height, with both arms raised, and trembling with enthusiasm._] Ah! [_She suddenly drops her arms and changes to an attitude and expression of disappointment--pouting._] And the first time Old Margery took me to papa, in her arms, she had to tell him I was a girl. Papa was as much disgusted as I was. But he'd never admit it; he says I'm as good a soldier as any of 'em--just as I am.
_Enter_ BARKET _on veranda, his arm in a sling._
JENNY. Barket! The regiment has marched away to the front, and we girls are left here, with just you and a corporal's guard to look after us.
BARKET. I've been watching the byes mesilf. [_Coming down._] If a little milithary sugar-plum like you, Miss Jenny, objects to not goin' wid' 'em, what do you think of an ould piece of hard tack like me? I can't join the regiment till I've taken you and Miss Madeline back to Winchester, by your father's orders. But it isn't the first time I've escorted you, Miss Jenny. Many a time, when you was a baby, on the Plains, I commanded a special guard to accompany ye's from one fort to anither, and we gave the command in a whisper, so as not to wake ye's up.